I wake up pretty tired, but feeling good otherwise. At some point during the few minutes I let myself drift off after my alarm, I wake up again and realize I was saying the Our Father in my head. I thought that was funny. I wonder what I was thinking during my half dream state.
I go downstairs a few minutes after 7:00 and find myself at a table full of my friends and some other pilgrims. The hospitalero named Victor had made homemade bread (with soft crust!!), homemade strawberry kiwi marmalade, and coffee. It's delicious! Best breakfast on the Camino yet. Actually, this was probably the best albergue on the Camino yet as well. A good hospitalero really makes a difference. I think the difference with Victor is that he actually owns this albergue. He had to make the decision to move to a tiny mountain town and make a living by caring for pilgrims. He's a very kind man: he never made it feel like we were wasting his time, even after we came in right at dinner time after he had just finished making pizza for the other pilgrims. He would also spend time with us, playing his guitar or just having conversations. He was a great guy! In case anyone wants to stay there, his albergue is called Albergue Chelo.
After breakfast, we all get our bags together. We were kind of slow this morning, and finished getting ready at 8:40. I figured I'd show what my bag looks like. I hang a lot off of the front of the bag using carabiners, such as hats, gloves, flip flops, and jackets. Carabiners are your best friend on the Camino!
At 8:45, we thank Victor and say goodbye, then head out for the day. The little town of Foncebadón is very pretty with snow covering everything. We walk through the snow to get to the main road, since the trail will be too snowy to walk on this high in the mountains.
As we head to the road, we see a dog in a courtyard. We realize the gate is open, and the dog is running straight towards us. And... it's a puppy!
I spend some time petting the adorable puppy. He's very young, and flops all around as puppies do since they don't have full balance yet. I don't see any owner. After a few minutes, I say goodbye to the puppy and continue on.
As a side note, my boots have been great. They're goretex, which means they're fully waterproof, and my feet have been dry through the rain and the snow. Definitely a worthwhile purchase!
We finally get onto the road, which has very little snow on it, and continue uphill toward the very top of the mountain. The morning is beautiful, with the snow lightly falling and the sun shining. The clouds are floating overhead in thick patches, dropping snow here and there. I talk to Dan about reading and our favorite genres and authors. We walk for a while and then see a sight we've been told about for a long time: a big pole with a cross on top, marking the highest point on the Camino.
We take refuge under the awning of a little stone chapel next to the cross. I put on my waterproof layers, then we all take a moment to celebrate, especially since it's Dan's birthday. Someone breaks out a bottle of wine and we share. I have a sip or two, and contemplate the rest of the Camino that is coming up. The last third is often the most transformative part. How will I prepare for it?
As I think, Eva and Dan make snow angels. I head up to the cross to participate in a classic Camino tradition. This cross is where people place a rock that they have selected at the beginning of the journey, as a symbol of leaving your burdens behind. The tradition is to choose a rock from home or along the way and carry it to this cross. I selected a rock a ways back, but never came up with a burden to assign to it. I think for a little while, then decide on my burden: caring aboutwhat others think about me. I recite the Litany of Humility, one of my favorite written prayers, and place my rock on the hill next to the cross. I then look at all the little artifacts that people have placed on or around the cross. I see rosaries, shells, flowers, and much more.
After my moment at the cross, we continue on. I walk alone, taking time to simply admire the scenery around me and pray. I didn't particularly feel anything in prayer, but as I often have to do, I remind myself that I'm not praying to "feel" God. I'm offering my time to God and talking with Him, and then when I have nothing else to say, I'm resting in His presence. One of my favorite sayings I've heard about prayer is that prayer is to "let God heal you or let God hold you."
As I walk and pray, the snow slowly stops falling. The hill to my left falls away to reveal a grand valley, covered in white. It was a great setting for prayer. I decided to start listening to Father Walter Cizek's book He Leadeth Me during prayer. The prologue and first chapter were great, and they certainly gave me something to pray about. Father Walter outlined how God uses events such as war and disaster to bring His people back to Him, as is evident throughout the Old Testament. In times of prosperity and comfort, it's startling how easy it is to forget the Providence and necessity of God in our lives. But when faced with loss and hardship, we are brought back to God.
I pass through a tiny forgotten town, full of old monuments to the pilgrimage that have long since fallen into disuse. I see old broken down albergues and cafes. I continue in prayer as I walk through, continuing down the road. Few cars pass by, and all is peaceful.
Soon enough, I'm far enough down the mountain that the snow has largely melted off. This means I can now follow the path, not the road. The familiar brown and green sets back in, and the amazing views continue.
After some intense downhill, a little town comes into view. Just in time! My stomach had just started to grumble. I walk in to find Margaret, Dan, and Eva inside. The three of them have cheesecake and coffee! I try some cheesecake and it's absolutely amazing, so I get some for myself along with a cafe con leche. And it's a beautifully delicious combo.
The cozy little cafe is really nice. It's run by a Dutch couple who speak perfect English. It's so nice to have a small change from Spanish food!
We leave the little town after having our snack and continue on our journey. Margaret, Dan, Eva, and I play the category game, which is a game I love to play on long car rides. We play that for a few rounds, and then Eva pulls ahead. The three of us then talk about the housing market and also gun laws and norms from the areas we grew up in.
After a little while, I look back to see where Sam is, and I see him walking with someone! I don't recognize the guy he's walking with, which means he's new. Exciting! Margaret, Dan, and I hang back to meet the guy. He's a British man named Gabriel, and he's a runner. He runs about 50-60 kilometers a day. That's more than a marathon a day! He's two weeks in, which means he's taken some walking or rest days, but that's still insanely impressive. We talk with him and get to know him a bit. He's an actor who lives in London. He seems like a really cool guy! We walk with him until we hit the next town, a little village at the base of the mountains called Molinaseca. Gabriel then runs on. It was nice to meet him!
Margaret and I go around town, trying to find a grocery store for lunch since I didn't pack one. I ask an old spanish lady, and she grabs my arm and points to a shop down the street. She's very cute and puts my hand to her face, noting how warm it is. Yet another genuine Camino experience with the people of Spain!
We finally find the grocery store and call the number posted. The owner zooms over on a bike and opens up for us. I get a tortilla (basically an omelette pie), some bread, and a coke for lunch. Dan, Sam, and Eva soon catch up and get food in the grocery store as well. We all eat outside in a little plaza area. There are cats everywhere. Some are scaredy cats, but others are friendly. I eat and pet the cats, enjoying my time.
After some discussion, we decide to stay here for the night instead of our original goal, Ponferrada, which is 8 more kilometers. Our plan is to make a nice dinner, go to bed early, and then start our trek early tomorrow. We then finish eating and start getting up to find our albergue for the day.
Margaret had bought these fried egg chips, thinking they'd be good, but they turned out to be the most farty chips any of us have ever eaten. It was hilarious. They didn't smell bad, but as soon you put one into your mouth, you get the sensation that someone has just farted in your mouth. She had each of us try one, and the reactions were genuinely hilarious. We decided later that the punishment for not being ready on time tomorrow, since we want to leave at 7:00 to watch the sunrise, is eating the rest of the fart chips. Below is a picture of Eva and Sam's reactions to eating a chip. Sam looks depressed and Eva is incredulous.
Once we're finally done laughing about the fart chips, Eva looks down the street and sees quite a sight. There's a little cat who has a tin can on his head. Eva runs over and helps get the can off the cat. What an odd moment.
We then get to our albergue around 5:00. A young Spanish woman with a dog lets us inside and checks us in. Her dog is very friendly and cute and loves the attention we give him. Then, we're shown up to our beds. It's a luxurious albergue! The beds are all singles, no bunks, and spaced apart quite nicely. What a treat! And we're the only ones there.
I set my stuff down and then take a shower. After my shower, I start my blog for the day, planning on finishing early to sleep early. At 8:00, dinner is ready. The girls and Sam have made pasta with tomato sauce and vegetables. This albergue didn't have a kitchen, so the way it was made was extremely unconventional. They used the electric kettle to heat water, then put it in the pasta which went into the microwave to cook. Sam brought out his propane backpacking burner and cooked up the vegetables, while the sauce was also heated in the microwave. As the cherry on top, there was no serving bowl large enough to hold our meal - except the clothes washing bowl, of course. After a good wash, in went our dinner!
After a cheers to Dan for his birthday and a quick prayer by me, we all dig in. The pasta is good and the meal is fun. We joke around and have a great time!
After dinner, I wash the dishes with Dan and then call Mikayla for around an hour. It's so nice to talk to her. And I'll be back home to her in 12 days! Time really flies. The town is small, so I walk around it at least 6 times by the end of the hour while we talk. I tell her about my day and she tells me about hers. I can't wait to see her again!
By 9:30, I'm back in the albergue and finishing up my blog. Then, I pray a rosary and head to bed. The plan tomorrow is to wake up early, get walking by 7:00, and walk 31 kilometers. I can't wait! Thank you for a great day, God!